Playing as the British in Empire: Total War

In the glory days they used to say the sun never set on the British Empire and there were colonies run by the British all across the globe. A steady trade into bustling ports made the country rich and a strong navy combined with an efficient army led to this small, craggy island being the most powerful country on the planet. Of course it was achieved through violent pillaging and widespread slaughter. Many believed they were improving the world as “civilization” was spread at the barrel of a musket and others just seized the opportunity to make a fortune.

Empire: Total War gives you the chance to see if you can match those achievements and brings back a time when global empire was more than just a dim and distant memory. Can you rise to the challenge and develop the home territories while seizing more colonies abroad? Can you rule the seven seas with a well drilled navy protecting your ill gotten gains on the trade routes? Can you defeat the natives, put down rebellions and hold your own against the powerful old nations of Europe? Will you spread the Protestant faith in the face of Catholic opposition and avoid a revolution such as that facing the French? Time to find out as we take a look at the British in Empire: Total War.

This guide will suggest some strategies that should help you win as the British. They start with a number of advantages so it is far from impossible to achieve a crushing victory. The ideas here are by no means the only way to gain a victory, these are just the things that worked well for me. To begin with, the fact that you are on an island and not continental Europe is a huge bonus. I have tried the game on various difficulty settings and even after leaving the homeland relatively weak Britain has never been invaded. You start the game in a position of strength relative to many of the other factions and you’ll find yourself in possession of a number of colonies. This is a great starting base to build from.

Build Indiamen ships and send them to each of the trade theatres as fast as possible. You should be able to sneak them there without escort and ensure you establish a trade route from each theatre. You may need to send some naval support out later but generally I found once in place on the trade spot the Indiamen never got attacked. Start building up your school in Oxford and send the gentlemen straight in there so that your technology research is as fast as possible. You could consider destroying the church and building a second school for faster research, there didn’t seem to be much point in having the church development in England, but be warned this will increase clamour for reform. In terms of research you will want to develop bayonets as quickly as possible because the Native Americans in particular tend to charge you in battle and they’ll make short work of your troops in melee combat. You should also develop farming so you can make more money and increase population growth.